Close menu
27

Unit 27: Towards Advanced
Grammar, news, vocabulary and pronunciation

Select a unit

  1. 1 Towards advanced
  2. 2 Towards advanced
  3. 3 Towards advanced
  4. 4 Towards advanced
  5. 5 Towards advanced
  6. 6 Towards advanced
  7. 7 Towards advanced
  8. 8 Towards advanced
  9. 9 Towards Advanced
  10. 10 Towards Advanced
  11. 11 Towards Advanced
  12. 12 Towards Advanced
  13. 13 Towards Advanced
  14. 14 Towards Advanced
  15. 15 Towards Advanced
  16. 16 Towards Advanced
  17. 17 Towards Advanced
  18. 18 Towards Advanced
  19. 19 Towards Advanced
  20. 20 Towards Advanced
  21. 21 Towards Advanced
  22. 22 Towards Advanced
  23. 23 Towards Advanced
  24. 24 Towards Advanced
  25. 25 Towards Advanced
  26. 26 Towards Advanced
  27. 27 Towards Advanced
  28. 28 Towards Advanced
  29. 29 Towards Advanced
  30. 30 Towards Advanced

Session 4

Vocabulary: 7 uses of 'touch'

Enjoy our version of King Midas and his golden touch – and learn 7 different ways to use the word 'touch'.

Sessions in this unit

12345

Session 4 score

0 / 10

  • 0 / 5
    Activity 1
  • 0 / 5
    Activity 2
  1. Activity 1
  2. Activity 2

Activity 1

King Midas - 4 uses of 'touch'

What does King Midas wish for?

The English word touch has many meanings and uses. In this session, we bring you BBC Learning English's own version of the story of King Midas and his golden touch – and we've found many other ways to use the word touch in it. 

To do

As you watch part one of the story, listen out for the different uses of the word touch – and decide whether this summary of the story is correct or wrong: King Midas gives Dionysus the ability to turn anything he touches into gold.

Watch the video and complete the activity

Show transcript Hide transcript

Mariam

Hello, I'm Mariam. Today I'm going to tell you a story from Greek mythology about tragedy caused by greed. It shows us what happens when true happiness is not recognised. This is the famous story of King Midas.

We start the story with Dionysus - the God of Wine - someone who likes to 'let himself go' a bit. One day he and his friends are at the foot of Mount Tmolus enjoying themselves. Suddenly they realise that Silenus isn't with them.  Silenus is a strange type of creature – half man, half goat – and he's a special friend of Dionysus as he was once his tutor. The friends look for him but it's touch and go (C2) as to whether they will ever find him.

Earlier that day Silenus had fallen off his donkey because he'd had a touch (C2) too much to drink - and now he's laying asleep by the side of the road, snoring. He's woken when a king - King Midas - and his soldiers come riding by. Midas has a special longing to see Dionysus and Silenus agrees to take him to see the god in exchange for the loan of a horse.

So now, Dionysus is touched (B2) that Midas has brought Silenus safely home. As a reward he offers Midas a wish - he may have whatever he desires. Midas thinks about it and then he asks for the power to make everything he touches (B1) turn to gold. His wish is granted.

But what is King Midas going to do with this special gift and what trouble will it lead to?Join me again in part 2 to find out. Bye for now.

 

To do

How was that? The summary was wrong. It was Dionysus who gave King Midas the ability to turn anything he touches into gold.

Have a go at our quiz to check you know the first set of touch vocabulary.

King Midas and his golden touch - the story so far...

5 Questions

Let's check your understanding of the story - and the words and phrases with touch. Decide whether each statement about the story is true or false. Look at the vocabulary box if you need help.

Congratulations you completed the Quiz
Excellent! Great job! Bad luck! You scored:
x / y

Next

Want to find out what happens next? Mariam tells part two of the story  – and finds more uses of the word touch.

Session Vocabulary

  • touch and go (C2)
    uncertain; with a risk of not succeeding

    a touch (C2)
    a small amount

    touched (B2)
    emotionally affected

    touches (B1)
    puts his hand on

    KEY

    A1 = Beginner
    A2 = Elementary
    B1 = Lower Intermediate
    B2 = Higher Intermediate
    C1 = Towards Advanced
    C2 = Advanced

View full vocabulary reference

Download centre

Latest course content